Areva’s uranium meltdown

A pledge by Environment Minister
Peter Garrett
to ban uranium ­mining at a key deposit in the Northern Territory has brought the federal government into the firing line of France’s state-controlled ­nuclear company.

Areva, which was hoping to mine the deposit, accused Mr Garrett of “rushing through" a decision that he does not have the ­authority to make.

Koongarra, which holds about 14,500 tonnes of uranium oxide, is one of Areva’s most advanced projects in Australia. But the firm, the world’s biggest maker of nuclear reactors, has never secured the consent of traditional landowners to proceed with development.

Mr Garrett on Tuesday pledged that a re-elected Labor government would incorporate the indigenous lands of Koongarra into Kakadu National Park, making it off limits to uranium mining.

The site is three kilometres from Nourlangie Rock, a popular Ab­original rock art site and tourist area. The minister said the decision followed extensive consultation.

Traditional owner Jeffrey Lee, custodian of the land as sole representative of the Djok clan and a Kakadu park ranger, offered the site to the government for inclusion in Kakadu this year.

But Areva, which is also one of the world’s largest uranium miners, has held mining lease applications over the site since 1995. It made a submission about the matter in May to the Director of National Parks and said it was awaiting consultation with the federal government. “Given the complexity of the ­issues, Areva did not expect the announcement of such a decision to be rushed through during an election campaign," Mr Portella said.

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He said it was essential that the next government follow a proper decision-making process, taking into account all stakeholders and the views of other ministers.

Areva intends to ask the minister for an official statement of reasons for his decision, while considering legal action.

Mr Garrett said Areva had been “afforded appropriate notice" of the decision, but Mr Portella said he heard of the ruling by email only on Tuesday morning, about the same time Mr Garrett was making the announcement.

The Australian Conservation Foundation welcomed Labor’s commitment, which it said was “great news for Australia’s special places and first peoples".

The ACF has battled against uranium mining in the Northern Territory for decades.